3 ways to build psychological safety now so it’s there when you need it most
When COVID-19 hit, our business came to a sudden halt. One moment our calendar was full, the next, meetings and engagements were disappearing. Companies we’d worked with for years shifted their focus overnight, pouring their energy into keeping doors open and team members safe. Like so many others, we found ourselves sidelined—and facing some hard conversations.
While uncertainty hung heavy in the air, our small team was unusually open with each other. We talked candidly about the challenges, the personal toll, and what it might all mean for the business. Without setting out to do so, we had built a foundation of psychological safety—one that made navigating a global crisis far less stressful than it might have been otherwise. We questioned our plans, admitted what we didn’t know, and challenged each other with care. And in doing so, we learned something that’s shaped how I work ever since: Psychological safety isn’t a climate to be fostered when things are easy; it’s an operating condition that must be designed into the team’s DNA for when things get hard. The true test isn’t harmony, it’s conflict. It’s about making it safe enough for people to be uncomfortable—to disagree, to challenge the status quo, and to admit when they’ve failed.
Gartner found that highly psychologically safe teams identify and address critical issues 15% faster. And while many people understand the concept, far fewer know how to make it real when trust declines and tension rises. Too often, it’s treated as a passive state instead of an active practice. The difference between the two is simple: A climate is a vibe, but an operating condition is a blueprint.
So, how do you move from a vague aspiration to a daily practice? It all starts with putting psychological safety first. Whether or not you manage people, each of us influences how safe it feels to speak up. Here are three ways to embed psychological safety into daily work, at any level:
MAKE DISAGREEMENT PART OF NORMAL WORK
Psychological safety has to be embedded into the way work gets done, not just something you hope people embody. That responsibility doesn’t sit solely with managers. Anyone can help shape norms around how ideas are challenged, discussed, and improved.
When I start working with someone new, I hold a candid one-on-one conversation to set mutual expectations. I might say, “My promise to you is transparency and a willingness to provide proactive feedback. You can also expect me to ask for your ideas and input on every major decision.” Then I turn it over to them and ask, “What do you need from me to feel successful and able to do your best work?” This simple act changes the dynamic, communicating that their voice matters from the outset.
Once expectations are clear, safety can be operationalized through everyday rituals. For example, instead of presenting a plan for approval, introduce a new idea by asking people to “poke holes in it.” This isn’t an invitation to complain, but a specific, constructive task. People are naturally good at identifying risks and blind spots, and this reframes that critical eye as a valuable contribution. Even without formal authority, you can model this by asking better questions in meetings, inviting alternative perspectives, or naming risks others may be hesitant to raise.
SHIFT FROM ANSWERING TO FACILITATING
Even with the best intentions, our behaviors can unintentionally undermine psychological safety. One of the most common mistakes is jumping in too quickly to solve a problem. Many of us—especially those seen as experienced or “go-to” people—are conditioned to have the answers. When someone brings a challenge, the impulse is to immediately provide a solution. But doing so can unintentionally signal, “My ideas are more valuable than yours.”
The fix? Instead of being the problem-solver, become the problem-solving facilitator. Your opportunity, regardless of role, is to create space for dialogue rather than rushing to be the smartest voice in the room. When someone raises a concern, try asking a question instead of offering a solution. It signals curiosity, respect, and trust.
Facilitation also means reading the room: paying attention to what’s being said and what isn’t. You might say, “I can sense this decision is making you uncomfortable. Let’s talk about what’s behind that.” Or, “Let’s consider this from all angles. What might be missing?” These moments of curiosity build trust and surface insights that wouldn’t emerge in a more top-down exchange. Over time, this changes the dynamic from quiet compliance to shared ownership.
USE FAILURE TO FUEL LEARNING
One of the fastest ways psychological safety breaks down is when we can’t learn from our mistakes. After any project or experiment—successful or not—I incorporate a simple set of questions into debriefs: “What’s working? What’s not working? What did we learn? What would we do differently next time?” This shifts the focus from blame to learning and makes reflection a core output, not an afterthought.
Even when you’re not running the meeting, you can reinforce this mindset by asking these questions yourself and inviting others into reflection. When failures are treated as data rather than personal shortcomings, people stop hiding missteps and start sharing insights that make everyone better.
When psychological safety becomes a baseline operating condition, new possibilities open up. People take calculated risks because they know their ideas are valued and that missteps won’t be punished, but used for learning. The team moves faster, decisions get stronger, and accountability becomes shared instead of feared.
